Thursday, April 12, 2012

While most everyone can agree that the technology that has been introduced in the past few decades is nothing short of amazing, it has also become more and more difficult to ignore the downsides.

Remember back when moms stood in their front doors and called their children inside for dinner? And they came home dirty and happy and exhausted from all the time spent outside playing with their friends? That's a pretty stark contrast to recent statistics that say that the average American boy or girl spends four to seven minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day.

Four to seven minutes? That's it? At the same time, kids are instead spending more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen of some sort.

Ouch.

Whatever the reason behind each individual situation, it seems as though it would be much easier for parents to take some of the attention away from the entertainment of television, video games, the internet and more if they had a secret weapon: outdoor toys, games and gear that are just as innovative and fun.

Allowing riders for the first time to be able to "Ride the Light," Rockboard's Radiate Skateboard is sure to be unlike any skateboard that you or your children have experienced before. Integrated with 48 precision-positioned LED lights, it only takes flipping a single switch and the Radiate Skateboard projects an explosion of color from right underneath.

Forget kids, what adult wouldn't be impressed with this unique skateboard and the way it provides the ability to ride in style throughout the day and night? Even though it has been quite a few years since I set foot on a skateboard, I knew from my extremely fun experience with my Rockboard Scooter review that this new innovation would be entertaining for the whole family.

Pulling the Radiate Skateboard out of the box, I was pleased right away to find it completely assembled and ready to go. Along with the sandpaper-feel (which gives excellent traction) to the bright green top...

...the Radiate is manufactured with a hard rock maple deck and paired with low rolling resistance Abec-5 bearings that are connected to high-end casted pro aluminum trucks for ultimate durability. This is one high quality skateboard that is made to last!

To help keep each part of this premium skateboard running smoothly, the Radiate also comes with a skate tool for adjustments and a power adapter for its rechargeable cell phone battery. Simply plug it right in and the bright, flashing lights will be charged up and ready to go for more light-up riding fun.

Thanks to the well-made construction and durability of the Radiate Skateboard, I found that during the day it provides a smooth, gliding experience that is fun for all ages (although note that this skateboard is designed for ages 8+).

While Big Sister E and Little Sister B are a little too young to ride too quickly on their own, they have had a great time slowly edging their way down the block while smiling and giggling the whole time!

However, when it comes to times when the sun goes down, the innovation of the glowing track of multi-colored lights illuminating the path really makes the Radiate pretty incredible. It only takes the flick of a small switch right on the bottom...

...and we found ourselves a little mesmerized by the colors of the blinking lights. After we enjoyed the LED display indoors in a dark room...

...we found that going for a ride on the Radiate when it is lit is a one-of-a-kind skateboarding experience that really can't be beat!

Rockboard is committed to providing children and adolescents with fun, safe, and effective ways to stay active during outdoor play and the Radiate Skateboard is a perfect example. As it is available in ten different color combinations and can be easily charged with the adapter, this would be an amazing gift for any tween or teen (or fun-loving adult). Check out the possibilities in this video by Rockboard!

The Radiate Skateboard is available from Amazon.com or Target.com with a retail price of $99.99 and is just the thing to inspire just about anyone to get up and go this spring. Instead of making a move to sit on the couch and watch more TV, kids everywhere will be clamoring to head outside and 'Ride the Light!'

Thanks to the generosity of Rockboard, one person will soon see what makes this such a unique and fun skateboarding experience as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Radiate Skateboard from Rockboard!

To enter to win: Visit Rockboard and leave me a comment telling me something you learned or found interesting there.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).1 Extra Entry (per method) if you Like Rockboard on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on May 3rd at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Rockboard for providing a Radiate Skateboard for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

I love this:The Rockboard Mini, a smaller-kid version, incorporates revolutionary propulsion technology allowing this scooter to be ridden for hours without ever putting a foot on the ground.jtfilleman@cox.net

This company has some great products! I got the original rockboard for my kids last year and they still love taking it out, but I noted the Rockboard Descenderwhich looks really interesting as well!pauline15_01(at)hotmail(dot)com

Propulsion is achieved with each rock, wasting zero energy and allowing the scooter to reach speeds up to 10mph. The patented Rockboard Scooter comes fully assembled and can be folded to a compact size for storage.